‘Race against time’ to reach Japan earthquake survivors as death toll rises

WorldEnvironment
29 Jul 2026 • 1:34 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

‘Race against time’ to reach Japan earthquake survivors as death toll rises

  • A 6.8-magnitude earthquake in Japan has resulted in 13 fatalities, with rescue teams urgently searching for survivors.
  • Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi described the ongoing search and rescue operation, led by the Japan Defence Forces and police, as a "race against time".
  • At an Aeon shopping mall in Kumamoto, eight people were rescued from rubble, but two women died in an explosion an hour after the quake, with authorities investigating a possible gas leak.
  • Seven people are missing after a chimney collapsed at a Nippon Paper Industries factory, while hospitals are treating dozens of injured people, some struggling due to power outages.
  • The earthquake caused power cuts to over 36,000 homes, damaged infrastructure, and led to the evacuation of approximately 260,000 people, with warnings issued for strong aftershocks and landslides.

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